Russ Parsons' Lamb-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

When I get to thinking about the state of school lunches in this country, it makes me despair, just a bit. I know it's a well-worn subject, but lately I've been thinking that it all boils down to one simple question. Why do we serve our children the kind of food that none of us would willingly eat ourselves? I'm sure there's more to the situation that meets the eye, that simple economics play a huge role, and that there are millions of people in this country with differing opinions on why America's children are fed slop. (And there is no other word for it - well, no other polite one at least. That's something we can probably all agree on.) I also know this discussion is considered a luxury by many, many people who populate this earth, but that doesn't mean it isn't a problem we need to solve.

Goodness, I'm starting off seriously, aren't I? It's just that as I stood over the stove last night, boiling cabbage leaves and stewing tomatoes, the familiar rolls of meat-stuffed cabbage reminded me of the wholesome lunches I was fed at my school in Berlin (a public school, I'd like to point out). From stuffed cabbage to Sauerbraten to chicken fricassee, school lunch was a meal we ate with gusto. Freshly prepared by grumpy ladies in white hats, dolloped out onto trays with bread and fruit, and costing a little less than five Deutschmark per lunch (which, if my memory and mathematics are correct, would be around $2.00 in today's dollars, though I'm sure my father will correct me if I'm wrong), this was good, honest food. Sure, the older we got, the more we thought the doner kebaps down the street were a way better use of our lunch money and besides, eating in the lunchroom with seventh graders seemed, like, totally out of the question by the time the twelfth grade rolled around, but still, that lunchroom nourished thousands of kids, from kindergarten all the way to the end of the line, and with very little protest.

(The French school in Berlin, by the way, had the most hideous lunches. Isn't that funny? Glutinous stews, unrecognizable vegetables and a dirty lunchroom. Those kids all ate candy bars from the kiosk across the street for lunch instead. The poor dears.)

As a result of all those years standing in line with my classmates, fiddling with the blue plastic lunch chips that countless others before us had used (our parents paid the lunch fees in advance, on a sliding scale according to income, and we were given a sack of chips doled out at the beginning of each month. The chips were taken at each meal by the lunch ladies, then counted, and recycled back to us.), stuffed cabbage reminds me of my happy days in Berlin. This week, the Los Angeles Times reprinted a recipe from 2001 for a lamb-filled version, and since my recipe-clipping only goes back to 2002, I jumped at the chance to try this.

It seemed simple enough - a ground lamb stuffing with toasted pine nuts, chopped cilanparsley, cumin, rice and an egg, wrapped in blanched cabbage leaves and oven-braised in a tomato-cabbage sauce. My first problem was not blanching the cabbage properly, so that my rolls were difficult and unwieldy to wrap. My second problem was to disregard the instruction to use a skillet (I don't have a top for mine) and using a Dutch oven instead. My third problem was that I apparently have no idea what cooked ground lamb looks like, because after the stated hour and half in the oven, and then an additional hour later, I still had no idea if those rolls were properly cooked or not. No clue. None! For all I know, I had lamb tartare for dinner last night.

(I'm still alive, though, and in good spirits.)

But! Despite all of these problems, that was one good dinner. The cabbage was sweet and juicy (even if I got fed up with the stiff, not-properly-blanched cabbage leaves, and ended up rolling up only a few rolls), the spiced meat filling was hearty and delicious (even though, because of the aforementioned cabbage stiffness, it meant that I formed largish meatballs with the remaining filling and sort of squashed them down amidst the rolls), and the stewy tomato sauce was the perfect foil for the whole dish (all of which might explain why the accompanying photo to this post doesn't really look like stuffed cabbage at all - it's more like meat and cabbage, stuffed into a pot).

I have leftovers and I'm thrilled about it (I've gotten a new job, dear readers, and though I've moved only one block away from my old office, I can't seem to get a grip on my new lunch choices, which I know sounds ridiculous, seeing as I'm just around the corner, but for some reason everything's so much more expensive over here and I don't really know where to go and I'm getting sick of wandering aimlessly only to end up with a spongy baked potato filled with some questionable chili stew that still winds up costing me uncomfortably close to ten dollars, and so! home-cooked it'll have to be, at least for the foreseeable future).

Now, should you want to make this and, like me, don't have a oven-safe skillet with a top, or are impatient and don't feel like stuffing cabbage and don't have white-clad German lunch ladies doing so for you, I think you should deconstruct the recipe as follows:  cook together the tomato sauce as directed, but add more shredded cabbage and then form the lamb stuffing into marble-sized meatballs which you simmer, covered, directly in that sauce. (in the oven, of course). You'll get the same warm flavors and rib-sticking goodness without the irritation (entirely self-made, I admit) that I experienced last night.

And who knows, if enough people eat this for dinner and are inspired to think about school lunch reform, maybe we can actually achieve some progress. If not, at least we'll have had a good meal.

Lamb-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Serves 6

1/3 cup pine nuts
1 pound ground lamb
3/4 cup rice
2/3 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 1/2 cups white wine, divided
Freshly ground pepper
1 (3-pound) cabbage
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1. Toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pine nuts, lamb, rice, cilantro, cumin, salt, egg, 1/2 cup of wine and pepper to taste. Stir to mix thoroughly, but don't overmix or the rolls will be heavy.

3. Leaving the cabbage head whole, cut out as much of the core as you can. Dip the whole cabbage head in a large pan of boiling water until the outer leaves soften, about 30 seconds. Remove the cabbage from the water, carefully remove those outer leaves and set them aside on a towel to drain. Repeat this process until you come to the inner leaves that are very convoluted and thick. Shred those and set them aside.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet with a heat-proof handle, cook the shallots in the olive oil over medium heat until they soften, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded cabbage and cook until the cabbage is wilted and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of wine and cook until it loses its raw smell, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and heat through. The sauce should be slightly soupy.

5. Set 1 medium-sized cabbage leaf flat on a work surface with the core end facing away from you. Cut a "V" in the base, removing the tough part of the core. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the "cup" of the leaf at its tip. Roll once, then fold in the sides and continue rolling. Set aside seam-side down. Repeat using all of the medium-sized leaves, then using the larger leaves, cutting them in half if necessary to make consistent-sized rolls. You will probably have some cabbage leaves left over.

6. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

7. When the tomato sauce is ready, place the prepared cabbage rolls seam-side down in the pan. Go ahead and pack them tightly, and, if necessary, you can even stack one or two on top. Arrange any unused cabbage leaves in a single layer on top of the rolls. Cover the pan with a lid and place it in the oven. Bake until the rolls are thoroughly cooked and fragrant, about 1 and 1/2 hours.

8. Remove the rolls from the oven and let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the loose leaves from the top and then carefully spoon the hot cabbage rolls onto a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the top and serve right away.

Comments

[Lydia]

You are so right about school lunches. When we ask "why slop?", we're told, "it's all we can afford, it's easy to make, the kids prefer it, blah blah blah." Wrong on all counts, I think. Jamie Oliver has the right idea about this.

[izzy's mama]

On the subject of school lunches: Do you know about the great inroads that Alice Waters is making in this dept.? She has all kinds of programs set up..it is definitely a stir in the right direction.

Funny about the French school. For that is where (in nyc) I discovered that young children actually have a palate for things other than chicken mcnuggets and where I, as a teacher, vowed to raise my child differently.

Looks like those lamb stuffed cabbages might have to join my repertoire. I make the beef variety for holidays and these seem like an intriguing variation.

[Molly]

What a terrific, thought-provoking post, my friend. I hear you - it is ASTOUNDING what kids are fed in cafeterias these days. When I taught in a public high school in France a few years ago, I was stunned and thrilled to see the kids being served (and happily wolfing down!) such things as roasted chicken with herbs and couscous with Moroccan-spiced vegetables. It seems to me that school lunches are a very clear indicator of cultural priorities, and I wonder what it would take to make our culture see value in *real,* nutritious food.

P.S. I LOVE cabbage rolls. Tell me again: why do we live on opposite sides of the country?

[LyB]

I, also, love cabbage rolls. They remind me of my grandfather, who used to make them for us when he'd come for a long visit. I've never been patient enough to make them myself so the idea of deconstructing them is very appealing! As for school lunches, I'm lucky enough to live right next to my daughter's school so she comes home for luch every day. Hopefully by the time she's in Highschool she'll have a good enough idea of what she likes and dislikes to make the right food choices.

[ann]

ugh, I ate such crap in high school. A packet of pretzels with a chocolate shake everyday. *shiver*

The thought of these cabbage rolls is making me so wistful (and hungry). They look like the galumpkies my grandmother would make me when I was a kid. I love the silky cabbage rolled around the fragrant meat.

[Lisa (Homesick Texan)]

It's a shame that trailblazers such as Ann Cooper and that school in Super Size Me are the exception not the rule for school lunches. And I love how you end your story by deciding to bring your lunch since the offerings around your office are poor--an excellent conclusion. (And a great recipe!)

[Luisa]

Lydia - Jamie Oliver DOES have the right idea about this, I agree.

Izzy's Mama - I do know about Alice Waters' great campaign on this matter, and I wish wish wish more people would join her crusade. She's a great woman for championing this cause. When will, specifically, people in our local and federal governments pay attention? As for French school food - I'm so glad to hear your school has such a good lunch program. I always found it ironic that in Berlin, that school's cafeteria was such a dump.

Molly - I know, it's ridiculous. I think one of us has to move ;) (And thank you! I'm glad you agree.)

Lynne - that's fantastic that you can make lunch for your daughter every day! I'm sure there are many parents who envy that. And how nice that you guys get to share the midday meal together, too.

Ann - yuck! Though I don't know if eating the cooked offerings would have been any better. At my elementary school in Boston, the hot lunch was a gruesome affair.

Lisa - thank you! I hope that Ann Cooper keeps fighting and making amazing things happen in her school and that people will sit up and pay attention. We need more people like her!

[susan]

i remember with every lunch served in elementary school there would be dry carrots with watered down ranch. yuck. but my mom packed most of my lunches so it wasn't too bad.

this lamb sounds so delicious though. i want to cook it right now!

[Nancy]

I'm old enough to remember when hot lunch in public schools was served only once a week. I still remember those Pizza Burgers fondly.

My oldest son is 19 and school lunches were hideous when he was in grade school. In those days (10 years ago) we didn't know how awful those lunches were and how much they were contributing to childhood obesity.

My younger sons are 9 and 11 and I've noticed a huge change in the last 2 years towards healthier lunches with more fruits and vegetables. Let's hope this trend continues or I'm going to have to go back to making sack lunches 5 days a week.

[doug]

hi

this recipe was recently in la times.. reprint from 2001..

ENCORE
A delicious dish, for comfort cooking
We still love these lamb and pine nut stuffed cabbage rolls from 2001, a perfect dish for those seeking kitchen therapy.
By Russ Parsons, Times Staff Writer

doug

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

You're right. We have to do better by our children. I am hopeful that we are moving in a healtier direction though. I've read that many school districts have made positive changes such as limiting fried foods, banning trans fats and sodas, and adding more fresh fruits and vegetables. It's a start, anyway.

Thanks for sharing about the "lamb tartare." As a vegetarian who cooks meat for my husband, sometimes I'm not sure exactly what "done" looks like. ;)

[Julie]

Hey Luisa --

You know this is a subject dear to my heart, since I confront the contents of school kids' lunch trays on a daily basis. A couple of years ago, I had the idea that instead of incarcerating Martha Stewart, they should have just given her a community service gig of reforming the NYC schools food service (http://fingerineverypie.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/03/mostly_martha_a.html). I bet she would have done an awesome job, and would have fixed something instead of costing the taxpayers money.

In the meantime, I love this recipe. I too bring lunch to work, since my options are to buy scary school lunch, or eat fast food from the Bronx 'hood where I work. Gonna make me some stuffed cabbage, see if I don't.

[Ralph]

You're saying :'Why do we serve our children the kind of food that none of us would willingly eat ourselves?' I'm pretty sure, that a lot of the grown ups here in US eat exactly the same crap the kids get for lunch in school, unfortunately:-(

We tried to change lunch in our kids school, but the PTA refused. It was their main fundraiser and they were more interested in making profit rather than have their kids eating healthy.

I'm German ( never had prepared lunch in school, only Sandwichs from home;-) and love cabbage rolls, usually filled with beef and soaked bread. I like your recipe and will definetely try it. Thanks !

[Carol]

I was just visiting my mother in law in Israel, and we had stuffed cabbage. One of the tricks she taught me was that when you roll up the cabbage, you should leave one of the sides open, so that when it cooks the juices run. Hers were delicious, so I think she's probably right.

[hottub johnny]

3/4 cup of raw or cooked rice?

[Luisa]

Susan - that does sound yucky. Who knows if kids today even get carrot sticks?

Nancy - that's encouraging. Hopefully it won't take years before more reforms are made.

Doug - yes, indeed.

Susan - oh it was a silly scene indeed. I kept cutting open the cabbage rolls, peeking at the meat, and making my roommate come over to help me assess. I'm still convinced I ate raw lamb meat for three days in a row last week. Gulp.

Julie - that idea with Martha? Absolutely genius! You know she would have kicked the system into shape, right quick.

Ralph - it can be so discouraging when even the PTA resists change! Shouldn't they be the ones most looking out for kids welfare?

Carol - that's a good tip. Wonder if that would have helped with the raw-looking lamb, too.

Johnny - Definitely raw. The rice cooks in the oven.

[Anne Kerry Ford]

I make this recipe all the time and it wins RAVES. A true HEARTY, LOVELY, TASTY crowd pleaser, that isn't too filling. All you need to go with it is a great bottle of red.

[Ann Duncan]

This recipe DOES sound great - and I just happen to have both cabbage and ground lamb in the frige - YAY!

School lunches are usually no better than the 'education' slop that kids get in the classroom.

Forgive me, but I've experienced both slop lunches and real food. As well as slop education and homeschool/unschooling.

I know the difference. And strongly advocate both real food and real education!

Now, off to experiment with this recipe :)

Blessings!